Ambisinister/ShiningLocus
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The Shining Locus
Artifact Level ~ 4
Commitment ~ 6 motes
The Shining Locus is a command combat platform designed by the Dawn Caste Reynard Greytalon. Greytalon excelled in the use, construction, and deployment of heavy magitech artillery pieces. He created the Shining Locus to serve as a mobile command post for overseeing and commanding artillery units and weapons emplacements under his command.
At its most basic level, the Shining Locus is a 10 foot diameter platform with chest high walls, effectively an oversized, wheel-less chariot. It is made primarily from White Jade an Orichalcum. When viewed from above or below it looks like a large, stylized version of the Dawn caste mark. The Shining Locus is capable of sustained and hovering flight. In combat it moves at a speed of 10 (dash 30). It is also capable of a travel speed of 60 mph. Due to an ingenious hands free interface, the pilot need only focus on operating the Locus when attempting complicated maneuvers or traveling at high speed (dashing, travel). At all other times the vehicle simply responds to its pilots whim allowing him to control it as a reflexive move action.
In addition to the pilot the Shining Locus has room for four additional passengers. The walls provide 75% cover to attacks from below and 50% cover to attacks from the sides. A light essence screen can be deployed to serve as a canopy, and the walls and floor can be made transparent. There is a single hardpoint for mounting a heavy weapon such as an implosion bow or essence cannon. The pilot of the Locus may operate this weapon through the vehicle’s interface or one of the passengers may do so manually.
The core of the Shining Locus’s power resides in its communication and command systems. The pilot of the Locus can issue commands to anything within line of sight of the vehicle. Tight beams of essence carry the words to their destinations ensuring clear communications in most circumstances. Similar systems allow the pilot to track the location and general status of units. The information is relayed to the pilot in such an intuitive and effective fashion that it adds 3 dice to all relevant war rolls.
Finally, the pilot can remotely tie additional heavy weapons systems into his control interface. He can control up to his essence in weapons, plus whatever weapon is mounted on the Locus, in this way. The pilot may fire these weapons from the Shining Locus as if he were manning them directly. Slaving a weapon is a (6/-1) miscellaneous action and may target any weapon within line of sight of the Shining Locus. Weapons that require attunement must already be attuned to the pilot to be valid targets. An individual may attempt to wrest manual control from the pilot at the weapon itself. This prompts a contested roll between the pilot and the individual using essence + willpower + archery as the pool. While the Locus itself does not provide power if such weapons require it does allow the pilot to make any expenditures remotely through its essence link. In fact, the Locus has three additional hearthstone sockets devoted entirely to the purpose of providing remote power. This same link allows the pilot to use charms to enhance attacks made with slaved weapons. Ranges are calculated form the weapons themselves and the pilot must flurry attacks actions normally if he wishes to fire multiple weapon systems simultaneously. Reduce the multiple action penalty of flurries containing only attacks from slaved weapons by 5 and the DV penalty by 2 (to a minimum of -1). If the pilot so wishes he may spend 6 motes to make an immediate, reflexive (0/-1) coordinate attack action to coordinate the attacks of multiple slaved weapons against a single target. He receives a number of automatic successes on this roll equal to his essence.
The Shining Locus requires a 6 mote commitment to attune itself to the pilot in addition to a hearthstone of at least third level as an additional power source. This hearthstone does not count against the three sockets available for remote weapon power.
Lesser models, simply known as Locus class command platforms, were created using Greytalon’s personal unit as a template. These lesser versions are only artifact 3 but are not quite as puissant as the Shining Locus itself. They require weekly maintenance and have reduced statistics. The weapon slave system is not as powerful, allowing only up to ½ essence in slaved systems and lacking the reflexive coordinated attack feature (although the pilot may make a standard coordinate attack action and will receive half his essence in bonus successes on the roll). These lesser versions also lack a sustained travel mode.
The Shining Locus
Speed: 10(30)/ 60mph
Maneuverability: +2R (Lore 2, War 2, Ride 3)
Endurance: 6 motes to attune, plus a single level 3 hearthstone
Crew: 1/1
Cargo: 4 additional passengers. Overloading the Shining Locus halves its speed and imposes a -4 Maneuverability penalty.
Armor: 18/18
HL: Ux8/Mx7/Cx4/I/D
Weapons: May mount a single heavy weapon.
Other Notes: The Shining Locus is more aerobatic than its appearance would normally indicate. It has a Dodge DV equal to [(the pilot's Wits+Ride+Essence+the vehicle's Maneuverability)/4]
Locus Class Command Platform
Repair:2
Speed: 10(25)
Maneuverability: +1R (Lore 1, War 1, Ride 3)
Endurance: 6 motes to attune, plus a single level 3 hearthstone
Crew: 1/1
Cargo: 4 additional passengers. Overloading a Locus Class Command Platform halves its speed and imposes a -4 Maneuverability penalty.
Armor: 12/12
HL: Ux6/Mx5/Cx3/I/D
Weapons: May mount a single heavy weapon.
Comments
I’ll fine tune the vehicle statistics once I get access to my core book or a WotLA again. – A.
- Access attained, statistics amended.-A
